ROMEOVILLE, IL, USA
N3634R
PIPER PA-28-140
THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. HE SAID THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, HE HAD INADVERTENTLY SELECTED A NEARLY EMPTY FUEL TANK, AND THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION. HE STATED THAT HE FAILED TO CHECK THE FUEL SELECTOR FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND THUS DID NOT MOVE THE SELECTOR TO THE OTHER, NEARLY FULL GAS TANK. THE AIRPLANE SUSEQUENTLY LANDED IN A ROUGH CORNFIELD WITH A MATURE CROP.
On August 9, 1994, about 1720 central daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-140 airplane, N3634R, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent off airport landing in a corn field near Romeoville, Illinois. The commercial pilot and sole passenger aboard reported no injuries. The local, 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated without flight plan in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot reported the engine lost power while he was flying in the traffic pattern in preparation for landing. He said the engine lost power because he had inadvertently selected a nearly empty fuel tank prior to takeoff, and that he had exhausted all the usable fuel in the selected tank. The pilot said he did not switch to the other, nearly full fuel tank, and thus was forced to land in a corn field short of runway 09.
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and improper emergency procedure. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector, and the rough, uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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